Method of xtreating



\ of the grease.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES O. HANDY, OF PITTSBURGH, IPENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH TEST- ING LABORATORY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

SYLWANIA.

METHOD OF TREATING WOOL-GREASE.

1,194,015 Specification of Letters Patent No Drawing. Application filed April 22,1916. Serial No. 92,845.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES O. HANDY, a

to a method of bleaching either the neutral. grease, after the fatty acids have been re-' moved therefrom, or the bleaching of the raw grease. This neutral grease may be produced by any of the known methods, or r case, the grease may be recovered from the preferably by one of the methods described and claimed in the copending applications of myself and RobertM. Isham, Serial No. 92,842, filed April 22, 1916, and Serial No. 92,843, filed April 22, 1916. The neutral grease produced by any of these methods requires bleaching in order to produce the final desired commercial product.

The use of fullers earth as a agent for greases has long been known, but

it has not heretofore been possible to produce the desired results by the use of this clay in bleaching wool grease. Ihave discovered that if the grease is dissolved in a,

suitable solvent, such as petrolic ether, and

the solution is then agitated with fullers earth, a bleaching effect can be produced which cannot be obtained by treatment of the grease alone with fullers earth.

In carrying out my invention I form a solution of the grease in the solvent, preferably petrolic ether, approximately one gallon, per pound of grease, and then ag1- tate the solution in 'a suitable vessel with fullers earth, using an amount of earth approximately equal in weight to the weight The fullers earth acts by adsorption. and is peculiarly effective when the grease is in solutionl After the earth is precipitated or settled out of the solution, the latter is then distilled and the grease recovered. The petroleum odors can be removed f'rom the grease by blowing with air or other suitable gas at reduced pressure at a temperature of from 90 degrees to 100 degrees centigrade.

Where Water has been used in the production of the grease for the purpose of washing therefrom the soap produced by the saponification of the free fatty acids, I eliminate this water by adding petrolic bleaching j ether, preferably of about 110 degrees C.

boiling point, and distilling up to a temperature where the Water will pass over with the solvent. The grease is then cooled and is again dissolved in petrolic ether preparatory to the bleaching.

Instead of disposing of the water by distillation of the Wet grease before bleaching,

the fullers earth may be added in sufiicient quantity to absorbthe water. The mixture of grease and fullers earth is then heated in pans in a drying oven at a temperature preferably of from 100 degrees to 110 degrees C. The dry material is then agitated with petrolic ether and filtered. In either claims, I intend to include naphtha, gasolene, and all similar petroleum products having a sufficiently low boiling point. The boiling point should not be sufliciently low to! cause losses, and, on the other hand, it should not be sufiiciently high to give undesirable residual products under the conditions of evaporation employed. In practice I have found a boiling, point of from degrees to 100 degrees C., and prefer ably between 80 degrees and 100 degrees C., to give good results.

My invention is also applicable to the treatment and bleaching of raw grease after its extraction from the wool. In such cases, the method of treatment is substantially the same as that before described. A solution of the, raw grease in petrolic ether is made, and this solution is agitated with fullers earth. This preliminary bleaching may in some cases replace the final bleaching, and

in any case, renders the final bleaching more easily carried out.

I claim:

1. In the art of treating wool grease. the method of bleaching which comprises forming a solution of the grease in a solvent, and

then forming a solution in a suitable solvent and then agitating the solution with fullers earth, substantially as described.

4. Inthe art of treating wool grease, the method which comprises drying the grease, then forming a solution in petrolic ether and then agitating the solution with fullers earth, substantially as described.

5. In the art of treating wool grease, the method which comprises drying the grease, then forming a solution in petrolic ether, then agitating the solution with fullers earth, and then distilling off the solvent and recovering the grease, substantially as described. v

6. In the art of treating wool grease, the method which comprises drying the wet grease by adding suflicient fullers earth thereto to absorb the Water, then heating,

and then agitating the dried material with petrolic ether until the grease is dissolved and bleached, substantially as described.

7. In the art of treating wool grease, the method of bleaching which comprises forming a solution of the neutral grease in petrolic ether in the proportion of about one gallon of petrolic ether to each one pound of grease, and then agitating the solution with fullers earth, substantially as described.

8. In the art of treating wool grease, the method of bleaching which comprises forming a solution of the neutral grease in a solvent, and then agitating the solution with an absorbent material capable of bleaching the wool grease contained in the solvent substantially as described.

9. In the art of treating WOOl grease, the

method which comprises making a solution of the raw grease in petrolic ether, and agitating with fullers earth, substantially as described. a

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES O; HANDY. Witnesses:

W. C. LYON, H. M. CoRWIN.

then forming a: solution in a suitable solvent and then agitating the solution with fullers earth, substantially as described.

' l. In-the art of treating Wool grease, the method which comprises drying the grease,

then forming a solution in petrolic ether and earth, substantially as described.

5. In the art oftreating Wool grease, the method WhlCh comprlses drylng the grease,

then agitating the solution with fullers then forming .a solution in petrolic ether, then agitating the solution With fuller's and then agitating the dried material with petrolic ether until the grease is dissolved and bleached, substantially as described.

7. In the art of treating WOOl grease, the

method of bleaching which comprises form- Correction in Letters PatentNo'. 1',194 ,01 5-.

case in the Patent Ofiice.

[SEAL] ing a solution'of the neutral grease in petrolic ether in the proportion of about one gallon of petrolio ether to each one pound of grease, and then agitating the solution earth, substantially as de- 9. In the art of treating WOOl grease, the

method Which comprises making a solution of the raw grease in petrolic ether, and agi tating with fullers earth, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. JAMES O.- HANDY. Witnesses: v r

W. C. LYON, H. M. CoRWIN.

It 1s hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,194,015, granted 8, 19l6,'upo; 1 application of James Handy, of Pittsburgh, Pennsyluania, for, an improyement in Methods 0t Treating wool Greaslefan error appears in the printed specification requiringicori'ectionas follows: Page 2, line 8, for 'the word absorbent. read adsorbe' nt; and that Lettersdatent should be read with this correctionitherein'that the same may conform to the record of the l Signed and sealed t his 21st day of November, A. D.', 1916.: I I

' F. W. HJCLAY,

Acting Oomints aio-ner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,194,015.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,194,015, granted August 8, 1916, upon the application of James 0. Handy, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Methods of Treating WooLGrease, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 35, claim 8, for

the word absorbent read adsorbent; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of November, A. D., 1916.

[SEAL] F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. Cl. 8726. 

